1If, then, any exhortation [is] in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of [the] Spirit, if any yearnings and mercies,
2fulfill my joy, that you may mind the same thing—having the same love—of one soul—minding the one thing,
3nothing in rivalry or vainglory, but in humility of mind counting one another more excellent than yourselves—
4do not each look to your own, but each also to the things of others.
5For let this mind be in you that [is] also in Christ Jesus,
6who, being in the form of God, thought [it] not something to be seized to be equal to God,
7but emptied Himself, having taken the form of a servant, having been made in the likeness of men,
8and having been found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, having become obedient to death—even death of a cross,
9for this reason, also, God highly exalted Him, and gave to Him a Name that [is] above every name,
10that in the Name of Jesus every knee may bow—of heavenlies, and earthlies, and what are under the earth—
11and every tongue may confess that Jesus Christ [is] LORD, to the glory of God the Father.
12So that, my beloved, as you always obey, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
13for it is God who is working in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
14Do all things without murmurings and deliberations,
15that you may become blameless and pure children of God, unblemished in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as luminaries in the world,
16holding forth the word of life, for rejoicing to me in regard to [the] Day of Christ, that I did not run in vain, nor did I labor in vain;
17but if I also am poured forth on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and am glad with you all,
18because of this you also rejoice and are glad with me.
19And I hope, in the Lord Jesus, to send Timotheus to you quickly, that I also may be of good spirit, having known the things concerning you,
20for I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for the things concerning you,
21for the whole seek their own things, not the things of Christ Jesus,
22and you know his proof, that as a child [serves] a father, he served with me in regard to the good news;
23I indeed hope to send him, when I may see through the things concerning me—immediately;
24and I trust in the LORD that I will also come quickly myself.
25And I thought [it] necessary to send to you Epaphroditus—my brother and fellow-workman and fellow-soldier, and your apostle and servant to my need,
26seeing he was longing after you all, and in heaviness, because you heard that he ailed,
27for he also ailed near to death, but God dealt kindly with him, and not with him only, but also with me, that I might not have sorrow on sorrow.
28The more eagerly, therefore, I sent him, that having seen him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful;
29receive him, therefore, in the LORD, with all joy, and hold such in honor,
30because on account of the work of the Christ he drew near to death, having hazarded life that he might fill up your deficiency of service to me.